Electrical connectors



Oct. 31, 1967 G. BENOIT ETAL 3,350,681

ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed Jan. 24, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.I.

I fi\ INVENTQRS Gerard Benoit Fe rd y M o y er Franz Mayer 8 BY Plerre Thomas G. BENOIT ETAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Oct. 31, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Jan. 24, 1967 FIG. 8.

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' INVENTORS erard enoit Ferdy Bloyer Franz Mayera Pierre Thomas BY /E ZATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofitice 3,350,681 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 3,350,681 ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Gerard Benoit, 6 Rue du Cirque, Paris 8, France; Ferdy Mayer, 22 Rue Ampere, Grenoble, Isere, France; Franz Mayer, 6 Rue du Cirque, Paris 8, France; and Pierre Thomas, 2 Rue Charles Gounod, Grenoble, Isere, France Filed Jan. 24, 1067, Ser. No. 618,243 11 Claims. (Cl. 339-253) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A female electrical connector having one portion which is movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to a stationary portion, the movable portion being movable under the action of an inserted plug between an open position in which it offers substantially no resistance to plug insertion and a closed position in which it tightly grips the plug, the movable portion cooperating with the stationary portion in such a way that a friction force exists therebetween which causes the movable portion to remain in its closed position until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from the socket, the plug itself exerting a lateral force which prevents the movable portion from returning to its open position until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from the socket.

Cross-reference to related application This application relates to improvements in the invention disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 371,905, filed on June 2, 1964, now Patent No. 3,300,752.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to the field of electrical connectors and more particularly to electrical plug sockets of the elastically deformable type.

Summary of the invention It is a primary object of the present invention to assure in an electrical circuit, a positive contact between a plug and a socket.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide mechanically simple receptacles which apply a positive lateral force to their mating plugs, the application of such force being triggered by the insertion of the plug.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a more forceful contact than that which is obtainable in the prior art spring contact devices.

These and other objects according to the present invention are achieved by the provision of an electrical connector composed of a housing having a cavity formed therein, at least one socket disposed in the housing, elastic restoring means associated with the socket, socket deforming means operatively associated with the socket, at least one control means disposed in the housing cavity, and friction locking means. The cavity is formed to be in communication with the region outside the housing and the socket is elastically deformable in a transverse direction and is disposed for receiving a plug to be inserted in a longitudinal direction in the socket. The elastic restoring means normally maintain the socket in an open condition in which it offers substantially no resistance to the insertion of the plug. The socket deforming means have a first portion which is stationary with respect to the housing and a second portion which is movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to, and in sliding contact with, the first portion, the second portion being operatively associated with the socket for elastically deforming it transversely into a locking position where it tightly grips the inserted plug. The control means are connected for longitudinal movement with the second portion of the socket deforming means and are disposed in the path over which the plug will travel when it is being inserted in a longitudinal direction in the socket for being moved longitudinally by the plug at least during the latter portion of its insertion travel, this movement of the control means operating to cause the second portion of the socket deforming means to deform the socket into its locking position. The locking means, which are constituted by a substantially longitudinally-extending surface, are positioned to cooperate with the second portion of the deforming means to create a longitudinal restraining friction force which maintains that second portion in the position in which it causes the socket to tightly grip the plug, and to maintain a substantially constant gripping pressure on the plug, after the plug has been fully inserted and until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from contact with the socket, the locking means applying to the second portion of the deforming means a longitudinal restraining friction force which, until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from the socket, is at least as great as the combined opposing longitudinal force exerted on the second portion by the restoring means and by the plug when it is being withdrawn from the socket.

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates the provision of socket members made of an elastically deformable material and associated with other elements which permit it to pass from an open state to a closed state, this passage being produced by the longitudinal pressure exerted by the insertion of a mating plug.

This arrangement thus permits the simple act of inserting a plug to automatically produce a tight gripping action by the socket, thus assuring a connection which is extremely solid, both electrically and mechanically. Such a device also permits plugs having various sizes and shapes to be firmly held in the socket.

The insertion of the plug can be accompanied either with or without a sliding contact of the plug with the socket and, in either case, will be terminated by the movement of the socket into a stable locking position.

The inserted plug exerts a lateral locking force which holds the socket in its locking position. The plug continues to exert this locking force, and thus to cause the socket to remain in its locking position, until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from the socket, at which time the locking force exerted by the plug is removed and the socket is permitted to return to its unlocked, or open, condition.

In the various embodiments of the present invention, the movements of the socket into its locking position will be effectuated by the cooperation of a movable portion either with a camming surface or with an inclined surface which is stationary with respect to the movable position.

According to one advantageous feature of the present invention, the inclined plane or camming surface terminates in a substantially longitudinally-extending friction locking surface against which a portion of the socket bears when in its closed, or locking, position.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention in its unlocked, or open, state.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 1 of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 in its locking position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one element of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of one-half of another embodiment of the present invention in its open position.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of one-half of the embodiment of FIGURE 4 in its locking position.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional detail view of a modified form of construction of the embodiment of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention in its open state.

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIGURE 8 in its locking state.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of one element of the embodiment of FIGURES 8 and 9.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of another element of the embodiment of FIGURES 8 and 9.

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a modified form of construction of the embodiment of FIGURE 8 to 11.

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of one element of the arrangement of FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view, in cross section, of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 16 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of an additional embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 17 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a modified form of construction of the embodiment of FIG- URE 16.

Description of the preferred embodiments As will be described in detail below, embodiments of the present invention are constructed so that the lateral force exerted by the plug will create a longitudinal friction locking force which is at least equal to, and preferably greater than, the sum total of any restoring force existing in the socket for the purpose of urging it into an open position and any longitudinal force which might be applied by the plug to the movable portion of the socket during plug withdrawal, the lateral locking force being exerted by the plug until it has been substantially-completely withdrawn from the socket.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a first embodiment of the present invention which includes a casing, or housing 1 made of an electrically insulating material and formed of two separable halves which are joined together along the horizontal plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the figures. The casing defines a series of cylindrical socket housings which are in line with one another, said series extending along said horizontal plane. One of these housings is shown in cross section in FIGURES 1 and 2 and comprises a cylindrical cavity 3 extending between a small access opening 4 for receiving a plug and a rear opening for receiving a connecting wire (not shown) which will be inserted into, and soldered to, the solder terminal 6, which is formed as a projection on the rear base of a piece 7. The piece 7 also comprises a hollow projection 8 which extends from its frontal base axially across the cavity 3 to form a plug socket. The projection 8 has a circular groove 9 formed on its outer surface and a series of longitudinal slits spaced around its periphery and extending to its forward base, i.e., the end in communication with access opening 4. These slits cause the socket 8 to be radially elastically deformable over its forward portion. The socket 8 also has, in the region midway between its ends and forward of the groove 9, a pair of diametrically opposed openings 11 and 12 cut into its surface to serve as guides for the tabs 21 and 22 of the deformable element 20 (see FIG- URE 3), tabs 21 and 22 serving as control means and being disposed in the path of travel of a plug to be inserted through opening 4. Element 20 comprises a circular base 23 in the circular opening 24 of which are formed said inwardly extending guide tabs 21 and 22. The opening 24 is designed to permit the base 23 to slide along the surface of socket 8. Connected around the periphery of base 23 are a plurality of strips 25, each of which is in the form of an arched leaf spring terminating in a fillet 26. Strips 25 and fillets 26 constitute the second portion of socket deforming means and are operatively associated with socket 8 for elastically deforming the socket into a position where it tightly grips an inserted plug. When the part 20 is mounted in the unit of FIGURES 1 and 2, the convex surfaces of springs 25 bear against the outer surface of the forward portion of socket 8 and the fillets 26 bear against the camming surface 27 which acts as a first portion of the socket deforming means and which is stationary with respect to the socket housing. The surface 27 has a radius which progressively decreases towards the rear of cavity 3.

The surface 27 terminates in a substantially longitudinally extending portion 28 of the longitudinal sleeve 14 on which the camming surface 27 is formed, sleeve 14 being lodged in the cavity 3 and having its rear portion firmly crimped around the socket carrying piece 7 so as to prevent any longitudinal movement of the latter. The longitudinally-extending surface portion 28 will serve as a friction locking means positioned to cooperate with the second portion of the socket deforming means.

The deformable element 20 is continuously urged into a normally open position, where fillets 26 will rest on the forward portion of surface 27, by elastic restoring means constituted by a compressed spiral spring 16 wrapped around the outer surface of the rear portion of socket 8 and compressed between the frontal base of piece 7 and the locking element base 23.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, in which the unit is shown to have a plug 30 inserted through opening 4, it may be seen that the act of insertion causes the leading end of the plug to first engage the control means constituted by tabs 21 and 22 and to then move the entire unit 20 towards the rear of cavity 3 (to the right in FIG- URES l and 2), thereby compressing spring 16 and causing fillets 26 to slide rearwardly along surface 27. This movement of the fillets produces a progressive radial compression of the springs 25, which in turn induces an inward radial deflection of the longitudinal elements of socket 8. This action continues until the tabs 21 and 22 reach the rear ends of openings 11 and 12, respectively, at which time the fillets 26 bear upon the longitudinallyextending surface 28. At this point, the pressure exerted by springs 25 causes the socket 8 to grip plug 30 with a firm positive pressure which serves to ensure an extremely good electrical and mechanical contact. The socket is prevented by the friction force existing between fillets 26 and surface 28 from ejecting the plug, the plug itself exerting a lateral, or radial, pressure to maintain the fillets in engagement with the surface 28. It should be noted that even if the inner surface of socket 8 should become worn during its life, the positive radial force produced by springs 25 will continue to ensure a good contact and a good locking action. Accidental dislodgement of the plug is inhibited by the fact that a certain minimum extraction pressure must be exerted before the holding pressure of socket 8 is overcome. Extraction of the plug 30 removes the principal force holding the fillets against surface 28 and compressed spring 16 then drives element 20 back towards its normally open position.

The operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2 can thus be considered to exhibit a hysteresis effect insofar as concerns the force exerted by the socket on the plug as a function of the longitudinal movement of the plug. This may be explained as follows: during plug insertion, the fillets 26 are caused to move rearwardly along the camming surface 27 so as to produce a progressive increase in the holding force exerted by the socket on plug 30. This force continues to increase with plug insertion movement until reaching a maximum at the rear edge of the camming surface 27. Then, as the plug insertion is concluded, the force will remain at its maximum value as the fillets move onto longitudinallyextending surface 28. Since the lateral force exerted by the plug on the socket causes the surface 28 to exert a longitudinal force on fillets 26 which is equal to or greater than the sum of the restoring force exerted by spring 16 and any longitudinal force which the plug would exert on the socket during plug withdrawal, the socket will remain in its locking position, and hence will exert a constant holding force on plug 30, until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from the socket, i.e., until the tip of the plug is substantially adjacent surface 28.

The surface 28 may either extend longitudinally or substantially longitudinally. It is only necessary that the angle between the surface and the direction of movement of the plug be such that, taking into consideration the coeflicient of friction between the fillets 26 and the surface 28, the friction force existing between these fillets 26 and the surface 28 when the fillets 26 are pressed against the surface 28 by the inserted plug, has a longitudinal component which is sufficiently large to ensure that the above-noted condition is satisfied. The same consideration applies to the other illustrated embodiments of the present invention in that any one of them can be constructed with a substantially longitudinally-extending locking surface which is formed in compliance with the above-mentioned conditions.

The form of construction illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 may also be provided with a locking member 101 which is arranged to cooperate with an annular notch formed in plug 30. The locking member might be composed, for example, of a plurality of ball bearings 102 urged into notch 30' by springs 103, the springs 103 and balls 102 being disposed in radially extending cavities 101. This locking member serves to prevent the accidental ejection of plug 30 from the socket. Any of the other embodiments of the invention illustrated herein could also be constructed to include such a locking member.

It should be appreciated that since, in the embodiment of FIGURES l and 2, the plug 30 is separated from the longitudinally movable member 20 by longitudinally immovable socket 8, the plug will not, in this embodiment, exert any longitudinal force on member 20 during withdrawal. Such a longitudinal force will be exerted only when the plug is in contact with the longitudinally movable portion of the connector assembly, as is the case for most of the remaining embodiments of the present invention to be described below.

Turning now to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, which'is shown in FIGURE 4 in its open position and in FIGURE 5 in its closed position, the functions of the socket 8, deformable element 20, and restoring spring 16 of FIGURES 1 and 2 are performed by various portions of a single, elastically deformable, electrically conductive piece having an appropriate cross section, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, and having an indefinite length perpendicular to the plane of the drawings.

The profile of the deformable element comprises a central portion 31 forming a canal which is designed to act as a female contact element, or socket. This portion 31 extends between an axially centered base portion 32 constituting the control means for the device and a frontal portion 33, the last named portion being disposed near the top and the bottom of a plug access opening 34. This opening is in the form of a continuous slot of indefinite length which extends into the plane of the paper for an 6 extent equal to that of the above described deformable piece.

Adjacent frontal portion 33, the unitary piece is folded back at 36 to form a support portion 38 which is coextensive with section 31, the portions 38 and 31 being spaced very close to one another. The portion 36 and the front of portion 38 together constitute the second portion of the socket deforming means of this embodiment. The rear of portion 38 is adjacent a supporting leg portion 40 which extends laterally outward and which is terminated by a lip 42 which bears against the base 44 of the housing. It should be noted that each portion enumerated in connection with FIGURE 4 has its corresponding member on the lower half of the element, i.e., that half shown in FIGURE 5.

The base 44 has at least one opening 46 to permit the insertion of a connecting wire 48 and the leg portion 40 has at least one connector of the permanent type, such as a nut and bolt 50, for attaching the wire 48 to the deformable element.

The housing includes, starting from base 44, a widened, or bell-shaped portion 42, and a section 54 of unvarying thickness terminated at its front end by a camming ramp 56. The forward portion of section 54 constitutes a friction locking surface 58. The forward end of ramp 56 is terminated by retaining abutment 60 against which the forward portions 33 and 36 of the deformable element rest when the unit is in its normally open condition.

When a plug 30 is inserted through opening 34, as shown in FIGURE 5, it advances easily until abutting against the control means constituted by base portion 32. As the insertion continues, the forward portion of the plug contacts portion 31 of the female element and the leading face of the plug moves base 32, and canal portion 31, towards the rear of the housing causing support portion 38 to slide backwards over the ramp 56 and contact portion v31 to grip plug 30. This action continues until leg portion 40 has spread outward to a point where lip 42 is prevented by the housing from further outward movement, at which time the forward folded portion 36 of the deformable element engages, and is held against, locking surface 58.

When the plug is removed, the unit resumes the position shown in FIGURE 4, the leg portion 40 acting as an elastic restoring means and providing the necessary restoring spring action.

It should be particularly noted that the embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 is capable of receiving several plugs spaced along its length (perpendicular to the plane of the figures). Since the female connector element is made of a flexible material, the insertion of one plug will produce a deformation only along a portion of its length. Therefore, a separate clamping action will be induced by the insertion of each plug, provided the plugs are spaced far enough apart along the length of the deformable receptacle.

Turning now to FIGURE 6, there is shown a female connecting element, or socket 61 disposed within the cavity of housing 62 and terminated by a pair of bearing fillets 63 constituting a part of the second portion of the socket deforming means of this embodiment.

This cavity is also defined by a pair of inclined contact-closing planes 64, each of which cooperates with a respective one of the fillets 63, the planes constituting the first portion of the socket deforming means of this em bodiment and being terminated at their inner ends by locking surfaces 65 and at their outer ends by an abutment in which is provided an opening 66 for admitting a connector plug 30. The female connector 61 is constituted in this embodiment by a symmetrical pair of elastically deformable elements having an appropriate configuration and having their rear portions 67 abutting and permanently connected together to cause the two halves of the connector to define a unitary element. The rear portions 67 contain a transverse opening 69 for the insertion and soldering to the connector of current-carrying wire (not shown), the portions 67 extending through an opening 68 arranged in the rear of housing 62 to permit the opening 69 to be outside of the housing. A compressed spiral spring 70 is provided in the housing cavity, between the rear face of the cavity and the portion of connector 67 which defines the base, or control means, of the female connector, for urging the connector towards the front of the housing. Spring 70 thus serves as the elastic restoring means for this device.

It should be noted that such an embodiment could also be modified to have a circular female connector having an axial stem.

In the variation shown in FIGURE 7, the split cylindrical socket member is furnished with a certain number of feet 72 which are folded backward from the leading edge of the plug receiving portion and which constitute the second portion of the socket deforming means of this device.

FIGURES 8 to 11 show still another embodiment of the present invention in which a housing 75 contains a cylindrical plug receiving opening 76 in communication with a cavity 77 comprising a larger portion 78 and a smaller portion 79, said portions 78 and 79 each having a rectangular base. A female plug element, held in said cavity 77 in an axially immovable manner, consists of an assembly of two elastically deformable members 80, each comprising an arched forward portion 81, a body 82 terminated by a right-angle bend, and a stem 83 passing through an opening 84 cut in the rear base of the housing in axial alignment with opening 76.

The means for producing a closing action of the female socket are constiuted by a spring 85 of the clothes pin type. Such a spring may comprise a spiral torsion spring element 86 terminated at respective ends by arms 87 and 88 extending at right angles to the axis of portion 86, the ends of the arms themselves being bent at right angles to form respective, mutually parallel hearing arms 91 and 92. The action of the spring is such as to force the arms 91 and 92 towards each other. As is clearly shown in FIG- URES 8 and 9, this spring is arranged so that arms 91 and 92 of spring 85 bear against the outer, concave, surfaces of the arched portions of respective members 80 and so that spring portion 86 will be engaged by the leading edge of an inserted plug 30.

When plug 30 is inserted, it moves forward until abutting against spring portion 86. Continued insertion forces portion 86 towards the rear of the housing, causing the anms 91 and 92 to slide rearwards along their respective bearing surfaces, thus forcing elements 81 together into a plug-gripping position.

The extent of the plug insertion can be limited by the abutment either of the spring portion 86 against the base of the female socket or of the arms 91 and 92 against the shoulders defining the boundary between the portion 78 and 79 of cavity 77. In either case the abutment is arranged to permit the arms 91 and 92 to ride onto substantially longitudinally-extending locking surfaces 82' of deformable members 80. Surfaces 82' cooperate with arms 91 and 92 to perform the same functions as the surface 28 of FIGURES 1 and 2 and surface 58 of FIGURE in that the longitudinal friction force between surfaces 82 'and arms 91 and 92 is sufficient to maintain the spring 85 in the position shown in FIGURE 9 until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from the socket, i.e., until the plug 30 has been substantially cornpletely withdrawn from the constricted region between portions 81. After the plug has been substantially com pletely withdrawn, portions 81 are drawn together by the action of spring 85 so as to cause the inclination of surfaces 82 to increase by a sufiicient amount to permit arms 91 and 92 to slide along surfaces 82 and the inclined surfaces of socket portion 82 to the position shown in FIG- URE 8, the return movement producing a progressive 8 opening of the female connector defined by members so as to return the connector to its open position.

Turning now to FIGURE 12, there is shown an embodiment having a socket comprised of two rigid shells 130, preferably semi-circular in shape, having frontal portions 131 which form the plug receiving opening of the socket, said shells being disposed in an axially movable manner in an elastic pincer 132, and bearing longitudinally against a restoring spring 133. The forward portion 134 of the pincer 132 is disposed adjacent a friction locking surface portion 132 and is bent outwardly to form the socket closing ramp. The opening 136 in housing 137 has an outwardly opening frusto-conical shape, the inner end of which terminates on locking notch 139 for the leading edges of spring blades 138, the latter being joined to the wall of plug 1411.

Upon insertion, the plug 140 will slide easily into socket until reaching the bottom thereof. During insertion the plug and socket will slide together towards the rear of the cavity, with the ramp 134 producing a progressive closing of the socket, until the front ends of portions 131 slide onto friction surface 132' and the springs 138 lock into the notches 139. The plug is released by pressing radially inwardly on blades 138 and withdrawing the plug.

Any of the other illustrated embodiments of the present invention could also be provided with a locking arrangement 138, 139 of the type shown in FIGURE 12.

FIGURES 13 and 14 illustrate a variation of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 8. The closing element is simplified due to the fact that it is a rigid element. This unit 135 has parallel arms which bear against respective, laterally extending, flexible branches 141 which form ramps for urging the socket into a plug gripping condition. Branches 141 terminate in substantially longitudinally-extending portions 141 which define friction locking surfaces.

FIGURE 15 shows an embodiment in which the socket 146 presents the general shape of a tulip, i.e., it comprises a cylindrical array of longitudinal strips of radially deformable material separated from each other by cuts 147 and connected together at the rear by a circular base mem ber, constituting a control means for the device. The outer cylindrical surface 148 of the socket is in the form of a cone which has an increasing radius towards the open end of the socket to form a closing ramp which constitutes the second portion of the socket deforming means of this embodiment. At the forward end of surface 148 is pro vided a surface portion 148 which cooperates with an annularly disposed spiral spring 149 which encircles the socket and which is immovably held in an appropriate recess in the socket housing. Spring 149 constitutes both the friction locking means and the first portion of the socket deforming means and is arranged to bear against surface 148' when the socket is in its closed position. The elastic restoring means for urging the socket into its normally open condition comprises a spring 150 compressed between the socket base and the bottom of the cavity in which the socket is disposed.

The embodiment of FIGURE 16 includes a socket element 151, the forward portion 152 of which constitutes part of the second portion of the socket deforming means of this device and bears against, and acts in cooperation with a ramp 153 formed in the housing 154. The rear portion 155 of the socket element 151 includes the socket control means and is folded several times to form a series of undulations which constitute the elastic restoring means for urging the element into its normally open position. The inner end of ramp 153 terminates at a locking notch 156 which is followed by a longitudinal portion 157 having no incline with respect to the direction of longitudinal movement of the socket element.

FIGURE 17 illustrates an embodiment which is generally similar to that of FIGURE 16 and which includes ramp 160 contiguous with a substantially longitudinal friction locking surface 161. The elastic restoring means are composed of a spiral spring 164 surrounding the rigid stem portion 162 of socket element 163.

The manner of operation of these last described embodiments is similar to that of the embodiments described earlier in the specification.

It is interesting to note that several of the embodiments described herein, in particular that of FIGURES 4 and 5, could advantageously be used in the construction of electrical outlet systems for the home, especially for room baseboards where it is desired to have a continuous plug receptacle extending horizontally along the wall.

The specific embodiments shown herein are only intended to serve as examples of the possible forms which the present invention may take and should not be considered to be limitative of its scope. It is intended that this invention be limited only by the breadth of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising, in combination:

(a) a housing having a cavity formed therein, which cavity is formed so as to be in communication with the region outside of said housing;

(b) at least one socket, which is elastically deformable in a transverse direction, disposed in said housing cavity for receiving a plug to be inserted in a longitudinal direction in said socket;

(c) elastic restoring means associated With said socket for normally maintaining it in a condition in which it offers substantially no friction resistance to the insertion of the plug;

(d) socket deforming means having a first portion which is stationary with respect to said housing and a second portion which is movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to, and in sliding contact with, said first portion, said second portion being operatively associated with said socket for elastically deforming said socket transversely into a position where it tightly grips the inserted plug;

(e) at least one control means means disposed within said housing cavity and connected for longitudinal movement with said second portion of said socket deforming means, said control means being disposed in the path over which the plug will travel when it is being inserted in a longitudinal direction into said socket to be moved longitudinally by the plug at least during the latter portion of its insertion travel, this movement of said control means operating to cause said second portion of said socket deforming means to deform said socket transversely into said position where it tightly grips the plug; and

(f) friction locking means comprising a substantially longitudinally-extending surface and positioned to cooperate with said second portion of said deforming means, said surface constituting means for creating a longitudinally restraining friction force which acts to retain said second portion of said deforming means in the position where it causes said socket to tightly grip the plug, and to maintain a substantially constant gripping pressure on the plug, after the plug has been fully inserted and until the plug has been substantially completely withdrawn from contact with said socket, said locking means applying to said second portion of said deforming means a longitudinal restraining friction force which, until the plug has been completely withdrawn from contact with said socket, is at least as great as the combined opposing longitudinal force exerted on said second portion by said restoring means and by the plug when it is being withdrawn from said socket.

2. Electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein said socket has a conical surface over at least a portion of its length which defines said second portion of said socket deforming means, and said first portion of said socket deforming means comprises an annular spring which en- 10 circles at least part of said conical portion of said socket.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion of said socket deforming means is composed of a camming surface which cooperates with said second portion of said socket deforming means.

4. Electrical connector as recited in claim 3 wherein said elastic closing means comprises an elastic pincer which surrounds said socket and which carries said camming surface.

5. Electrical connector means as recited in claim 3, wherein said camming means is formed in the Walls of said cavity as an inclined plane extending from the region where said cavity communicates with the region outside said housing to the inner portion of said cavity.

6. Electrical connector as recited in claim 5 wherein: said socket is generally cylindrical in shape and has its longitudinal axis aligned with the portion of said cavity which is in communication with the region outside of said housing, the end of said socket which is closer to said last-named cavity portion being referred to as the forward end, said socket having a plurality of longitudinal slots cut into its forward end so that a portion of said socket is in the form of a series of radially flexible strips, said socket also having a pair of diametrically opposed openings cut into its center portion; said second portion of said socket deforming means comprises a cylindrical member including a plurality of inwardly arched, circumferentially spaced, longitudina'lly-extending, elastically deformable leaf springs placed around said socket in coaxial alignment therewith and said control means comprises a base member rigidly connecting the rear ends of all of said leaf springs and having a pair of inwardly extending tabs, each of which extends through a respective one of said diametrically opposed socket openings into the volume enclosed by said socket so as to be disposed in said path over which the plug will travel during insertion.

7. Electrical connector as recited in claim 5 wherein said socket, said second portion of said socket deforming means and said elastic restoring means are constituted by a unitary element comprising a pair of laterally d splaced arms forming a plug-receiving channel of indefinite width perpendicular to its lateral dimension, each of said arms having a longitudinal dimension which is mutually perpendicular to both said lateral dimensions and said width, and each of said arms having a longitudinally forward portion near the region where said cavity communicates with the region outside said housing, and a rear portion removed therefrom; said forward portion being laterally flexible and forming said socket and said second portion of said socket deforming means, and said rear portion being curved laterally outwardly with respect to said forward portion and forming said elastic restoring means.

8. Electrical connector as recited in claim 5, wherein said socket and said second portion of said socket deforming means comprise at least one unitary, longitudinallyextending arm which is curved so as to be convex towards the interior of said cavity.

9. Electrical connector as recited in claim 8 wherein a portion of said arm is folded with respect to the portion constituting said socket and said second portion of said socket deforming means and bears against the base of said cavity, said folded means constituting said elastic restoring means.

10. Electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein said socket deforming means comprises a spring disposed in a longitudinally movable manner in the region enclosed by said socket.

11. Electrical connector as recited in claim 10 wherein said spring comprises: a torsion spring; a pair of arms joined to opposite ends of said spring and folded at right angles to the axis of said spring; and a pair of bearing elements each of which is rigidly joined to one of said arms and bears against the outer surface of said socket;

1 1 1 2 whereby said bearing elements tend to radially deform 3,122,408 2/1964 Laszczewski 339273 said socket inwardly of said cavity. 3,229,243 1/1966 Gomulka 339259 X 3,300,752 1/1967 Benoit et al 339-253 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 803,001 10/1958 Great Britain. 1,990,687 2/1935 Godare.

2,087,538 7/1937 Godare X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. 2,711,523 6/ 1955 Willis 339253 P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; (A) A HOUSING HAVING A CAVITY FORMED THEREIN, WHICH CAVITY IS FORMED SO AS TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE REGION OUTSIDE OF SAID HOUSING; (B) AT LEAST ONE SOCKET, WHICH IS ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE IN A TRANVERSE DIRECTION, DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING CAVITY FOR RECEIVING A PLUG TO BE INSERTED IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION IN SAID SOCKET; (C) ELASTIC RESTORING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SOCKET FOR NORMALLY MAINTIANING IT IN A CONDITION IN WHICH IT OFFERS SUBSTANTIALLY NO FRICTION RESITANCE TO THE INSERTION OF THE PLUG; (D) SOCKET DEFORMING MEANS HAVING A FIRST PORTION WHICH IS STATIONARY WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND A SECOND PORTION WHICH IS MOVABLE IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO, AND IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH, SAID FIRST PORTION, SAID SECOND PORTION BEING OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SOCKET FOR ELASTICALLY DEFORMING SAID SOCKET TRANSVERSELY INTO A POSITION WHERE IT TIGHTLY GRIPS THE INSERTED PLUG; (E) AT LEAST ONE CONTROL MEANS MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOUSING CAVITY AND CONNECTED FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID SOCKET DEFORMING MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN THE PATH OVER WHICH THE PLUG WILL TRAVEL WHEN IT IS BEING INSERTED IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION INTO SAID SOCKET TO BE MOVED LONGITUDINALLY BY THE PLUG AT LEAST DURING THE LATTER PORTION OF ITS INSERTION TRAVEL, THIS MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTROL MEANS OPERATING TO CAUSE SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID SOCKET DEFORMING MEANS TO DEFORM SAID SOCKET TRANSVERSELY INTO SAID POSITION WHERE IT TIGHTLY GRIPS THE PLUG; AND (F) FRICTION LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY LONGITUDINALLY-EXTENDING SURFACE AND POSITIONED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID DEFORMING MEANS, SAID SURFACE CONSITUTING MEANS FOR CREATING A LONGITUDINALLY RESTRAINING FRICTION FORCE WHICH ACTS TO RETAIN SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID DEFORMING MEANS IN THE POSITION WHERE IT CAUSES SAID SOCKET TO TIGHTLY GRIP TO THE PLUG, AND TO MAINTAIN A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT GRIPPING PRESSURE ON THE PLUG, AFTER THE PLUG HAS BEEN FULLY INSERTED AND UNITL THE PLUG HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN FROM CONTACT WITH SAID SOCKET, SAID LOCKING MEANS APPLYING TO SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID DEFORMING MEANS A LONGITUDINAL RESTRAINING FRICTION FORCE WHICH, UNTIL THE PLUG HAS BEEN COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN FROM CONTACT WITH SAID SOCKET, IS AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE COMBINED OPPOSING LONGITUDINAL FORCE EXERTED ON SAID SECOND PORTION BY SAID RESTORING MEANS ANY BY THE PLUG WHEN IT IS BEING WITHDRAWN FROM SAID SOCKET. 